A Missouri man has been arrested and charged in the deadly highway shooting of a beloved sports reporter in what authorities are calling a tragic case of road rage gone too far.
Police say 34-year-old Ruslan Huseynov opened fire on 50-year-old Dennis Sharkey Jr. during a confrontation on Interstate 29 just north of Kansas City on the evening of January 10. Sharkey, a well-known writer for the Platte County Citizen, was reportedly heading home from covering a high school game when the violent encounter unfolded.
According to a probable cause affidavit, a couple driving along I-29 near Northwest 72nd Street spotted two vehicles stopped in the right lane. They say a man stepped out of the lead car holding a handgun. As they quickly drove past, they heard a single gunshot and called 911.
Emergency responders found Sharkey’s car off the road, crashed into a fence. He had been shot and was later pronounced dead at a nearby hospital.
Investigators discovered a single 9 mm shell casing at the scene. Using cellphone tower data and surveillance video, they tracked the suspect vehicle to Huseynov. A deeper dive into his past uncovered a few petty thefts, including stealing food from a grocery store buffet.
When questioned, Huseynov denied owning a gun. But police had already pulled an iCloud photo of him holding a 9 mm handgun. Pressed on the image, he claimed the gun wasn’t his and belonged to a tattoo artist he couldn’t name.
That excuse fell apart when officers found a 9 mm pistol locked in a safe in Huseynov’s bedroom. Ballistic tests confirmed it was the same weapon used in the murder.
Platte County Prosecuting Attorney Eric Zahnd praised investigators for their relentless work, saying, “This case required extraordinary perseverance and attention to detail. Our investigators never gave up.”
The motive behind the shooting is still unknown, but friends and family of Sharkey say his loss is immeasurable. Not only was he a dedicated journalist, but he was also caring full-time for his elderly mother.
“He was her rock,” a GoFundMe page reads. “This is a loss that leaves a hole in so many lives.”
Huseynov remains in custody as the investigation continues.
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Author: thedailycrime1
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